System and method for providing video programming information to television receivers over a unitary set of channels

ABSTRACT

A system is disclosed for providing video programming information from a plurality of sources over a unitary set of channels comprising a notch filter, a video program information receiver, a modulator, and a composite video generator. The notch filter is configured to receive the receive video programming information from a first source over the unitary set of channels and provide notched video programming information comprising the received set of channels, except a selected channel. The video program information receiver is configured to receive other video programming information from a second source. The modulator is configured to modulate the other video programming information onto a channel corresponding to the selected channel, thereby to provide modulated other programming information. The composite video generator is configured to combine the notched video programming information from the notch filter and the modulated other programming information generated by the modulator thereby to provide composite video programming information over the unitary set of channels for provision to a television receiver.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

[0001] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/365,726, filed Aug. 3, 1999,in the name of Richard Edson, entitled “Multi-Service In-Home NetworkWith An Open Interface” and assigned to the assignee of thisapplication, incorporated by reference.

[0002] U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/193,813, filedMar. 31, 2000, in the name of Theodore F. Tabloski, et al., entitled“Home Area Network” and assigned to the assignee of this application,incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention relates generally to the field of user-premises orhome area networking, to allow different types of systems and/orcommunications devices to utilize one in-home network to communicatewith each other and to access a number of external communicationservices, and more specifically to systems and methods of providingvideo programming information from a plurality of sources to televisionreceivers over a unitary set of channels to which the televisionreceivers are adapted to tune.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/365,726, filed Aug. 3, 1999,in the name of Richard Edson, entitled “Multi-Service In-Home NetworkWith An Open Interface” (hereinafter “the Edson application”) and U.S.Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/193,813, filed Mar. 31,2000, in the name of Theodore F. Tabloski, et al., entitled “Home AreaNetwork” (hereinafter “the Tabloski, et al., application”) describevarious embodiments of an in-home network and server therefor thatprovides a number of services. Generally, one of the services is todistribute video program information to, for example, televisionreceivers for viewing thereon. In one embodiment, the video programinformation may be provided by one or more of a number of sources,including, for example, over-the-air broadcast, a cable provider or adigital satellite provider, and the server generally distributes thevideo program information to the television receivers over a cableconnection that defines a unitary set of channels to which thetelevision receives are adapted to tune. It is also desirable to allowthe server to also receive video program information from one or moresecondary sources, such as a local video source, and integrate thatvideo program information with the video program information from theother source(s), over the same unitary set of channels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The invention provides a new and improved system and method ofproviding video programming information from a plurality of sources totelevision receivers over a unitary set of channels to which thetelevision receivers are adapted to tune.

[0006] In brief summary, the invention provides system for providingvideo programming information from a plurality of sources over a unitaryset of channels comprising a notch filter, a video program informationreceiver, a modulator, and a composite video generator. The notch filteris configured to receive the receive video programming information froma first source over the unitary set of channels and provide notchedvideo programming information comprising the received set of channels,except a selected channel. The video program information receiver isconfigured to receive other video programming information from a secondsource. The modulator is configured to modulate the other videoprogramming information onto a channel corresponding to the selectedchannel, thereby to provide modulated other programming information. Thecomposite video generator is configured to combine the notched videoprogramming information from the notch filter and the modulated otherprogramming information generated by the modulator thereby to providecomposite video programming information over the unitary set of channelsfor provision to a television receiver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] This invention is pointed out with particularity in the appendedclaims. The above and further advantages of this invention may be betterunderstood by referring to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0008]FIG. 1 depicts a home area network including an arrangement forproviding video programming information from a plurality of sources totelevision receivers over a unitary set of channels to which thetelevision receivers are adapted to tune; and

[0009]FIG. 2 depicts a functional block diagram of the video programinformation providing arrangement useful in the home area networkdepicted in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT

[0010]FIG. 1 depicts a home area network 10 including an arrangement forproviding television programming information from a plurality of sourcesto television receivers over a unitary set of channels to which thetelevision receivers are adapted to tune. FIG. 1 depicts a home areanetwork 10 including an interface to the public switched telephonynetwork (PSTN), constructed in accordance with the invention. Generally,the home area network 10 facilitates the connection of a plurality ofhousehold appliances, devices, television and radio receivers, telephonesets, and other facilities (generally “devices”) 11(1) through 11(N)(generally identified by reference numeral 11(n)) to a home server 12over one or more digital communication links generally identified byreference numeral 13 and one or more analog communication linksgenerally identified by reference numeral 14. The home server 12 canalso connect to a number of external connections, including a centraloffice in the public switched telephony network (PSTN) over a PSTN link23, a network such as the Internet over a network link 20, a cableconnection (for use in providing cable television, telephony, Internetand other services as will be apparent to those skilled in the art) overcable link 22, a compact disk player over a compact disk link 21, abarcode reader over barcode link 24, a local video source 25, andperhaps other devices (such as devices providing information viasatellite and the like, home security devices, and so forth) over otherlinks generally identified by reference numeral 26.

[0011] As described in, for example, the aforementioned Edson andTabloski, et al, applications, the devices 11(n) can transferinformation among themselves over the respective communication link 13,14 to which they are connected. In addition, the devices 11(n) connectedto one communication link 13, 14 can transfer information to devicesconnected to another communication link 13, 14 and between the devices11(n) and the PSTN, network, cable, etc., through the server 12; in thatoperation, if one device 11(n′) is connected to an analog communicationlink 14 and another device 11(n″) (n″≠n′) is connected to a digitalcommunication link 13, the server 12 can perform a digital to analog oranalog to digital conversion as necessary. In addition, the server 12operates to store information received from the PSTN, network, cable,and devices 11(n) for later transmission over the PSTN, network, cable,etc., and later transmission to the devices 11(n). The informationtransferred over communication links 13 is preferably in digital form,as is the information stored on the server. On the other hand,information may be transferred over other connections in digital oranalog form as appropriate.

[0012] The devices 11(n) that can be connected to the home area network10 can include a number of types of appliances, including but notlimited to devices such as personal computers, personal digitalassistant (PDA) devices, telephony devices (illustratively device11(N)), and home entertainment devices such as radio and televisionreceivers, DVD, compact disk, video and audio tape and record players,and the like. In addition, devices 11(n) that can be connected to thehome area network can include lighting, heating and cooling, and similarsystems, as well as appliances such as stoves and ovens. If a particulardevice is a “legacy” device, that is, a device that itself does not havean interface that can be connected to a digital communication link 13,that legacy device can be provided with a suitable interface to allow itto be so connected.

[0013] Generally, the home area network 10 operates to allow informationto be stored on the server 12, transferred among the devices 11(n), andtransferred from or to a number of external sources or destinations,including, for example, sources or destinations over a network such asthe Internet or the public switched telephony network (PSTN), cable orsatellite television or radio, music sources such as compact disks. Theinformation may comprise any form of information, including, forexample, audio information, image and video information, information intext form, control information for, for example, controlling one devicefrom another or from the server 12 in relation to, for example,occurrence of certain events, computer programs, and so forth. The homearea network can be used to, for example, transfer audio informationfrom sources to destinations such as the server 12 for storage or tovarious devices 11(n) for playing. Similarly, the home area network 10can be used to transfer image or video information from sources todestinations such as the server 12 for storage or to various devices11(n) for display. In addition, the home area network 10 can be used totransfer control information to control controllable devices, such aslighting, appliances such as stoves and ovens, heating and coolingsystems, alarm systems and the like.

[0014] The communication links 13 may be in any form, including a hardlink such as a wire, optical fiber or other arrangement for transferringelectrical, optical or other signals among the appliances. Alternativelyor in addition, communication links 13 may comprise wireless links, suchas but not limited to infrared links or links provided by signals inother parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Communication links 13 maycomprise communication links specially provided for the home areanetwork 10, and/or they may include pre-existing links such as telephonelines, wiring provided for, for example, AC power distribution, and thelike.

[0015] Each device 11(n) connected to a digital communication link 13preferably includes or is provided with an interface (not separatelyshown) that enables it to transmit information, in the form of messagepackets to, and/or receive information in the form of message packetsfrom each other and the home server 12 over the respective communicationlink 13. When a device 11(n) receives message packets containinginformation, it can use the information as described below.

[0016] Generally, the server 12 includes a number of components (notseparately shown), including components for processing, storing andretrieving data in digital form, and for converting data between digitaland analog form. With particular reference to the instant invention, thehome area network 10, and, in particular, server 12, provides anarrangement whereby video program information provided by, for example,a local video source over local video link 25, can be integrated withvideo program information provided by a cable provider over cable link22, and distributed to the television receivers over a unitary set ofchannels. The unitary set of channels will conform to the set ofchannels over which the cable provider normally provides video programinformation, and which are tunable by the television receivers to whichthe server 12 provides the video program information. For example, ifthe cable provider provides video program over a set of channelsarbitrarily numbered 1 through N, the video program informationarrangement essentially removes the video program information providedby the cable provider for one channel “n,” and substitute for some orall of the channel “n” video program information that is received overthe local video link 25 in that channel. Accordingly, the video programinformation arrangement will provide, to the television receiversconnected to the server 12, a composite video signal for channels 1through “n−1” and “n+1” through N as provided by the cable provider, anda substituted video image signal for channel “n” as generated by theserver's video program information arrangement. The video programinformation arrangement described herein does not provide, in thesubstituted channel, a substitute audio signal for the substitutedchannel, but a substitute audio signal may be provided usingarrangements not described herein.

[0017] The video program information from the local video link 25 maycompletely substitute for the video program information from the cableprovider in the substituted channel. Alternatively, the video programinformation from the local video link 25 may substitute for a portion ofthe video program information from the cable provider, in a window in,for example, a picture-in-picture format, in the channel, with the videoprogram information from the local video link 25 being displayed in aregion of the video screen of predetermined size, with the video programinformation from the cable provider being displayed in the rest of thevideo screen. As another alternative, the video program information fromthe cable provider may be displayed in a small region of the videoscreen, with the video program information from the local video link 25being displayed in the rest of the video screen. The video programinformation from the local video link 25 may be any form of videoprogram information, including, for example, information from one ormore cameras to facilitate monitoring of areas of the home, such as forsecurity, baby or child monitoring and other operations that will beapparent to those skilled in the art.

[0018]FIG. 2 depicts a functional block diagram of a video programinformation providing arrangement 30 useful in the home area networkdepicted in FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 2, video program informationproviding arrangement 30 includes a tuner 31, a frame grabber 32, aframe buffer 33, a graphics blending circuit 34, an encoder 35, amodulator 36, a notch filter 37 and a signal combiner 38, all of whichoperate under control of a processor 40. The processor 40 may bededicated to the video program information providing arrangement 30, orit may also perform operations in connection with other functionsperformed and services provided by the server 12. The tuner 31 is tunedto the channel in which the video program information from the localvideo link 25 is to be substituted or with which the video programinformation from the local video link 25 is to be blended. The videoprogramming information input received by the tuner 31 from the cable 22is in analog form and comprises a number of analog signals associatedwith a number of channels. The respective channels are arbitrarilyidentified by numerical identifiers 1 through N, where “N” may be anyconvenient integers. The respective channels may include signalscontaining both video image information and audio information, or onlyvideo image information or audio information. In the following, it willbe assumed that the channel to which the tuner 31 is tuned will includeat least a signal that contains video image information. The tuner 31will selectively couple that video image information signal for thatchannel as a SEL AN VID CH selected analog video channel signal to theframe grabber 32.

[0019] The frame grabber 32 receives the SEL AN VID CH selected analogvideo channel signal from the tuner 31 and converts video imageinformation contained in the signals to digital form, represented by aDIG FR IN digitized frame in signal, for storage in the frame buffer 33.The frame buffer 33 buffers digitized video image information from theframe grabber 32 for later retrieval for use in providing video imageinformation for the channel to which the tuner 31 is tuned, as will bedescribed below, which channel will be substituted for the channel asreceived from the cable link 22 before being provided to the televisionreceivers to which the server 12 is connected. As is conventional,television receivers (not separately shown) that are to receive videoimage information from the server 12 display images comprising aplurality of picture elements, or “pixels,” in a plurality of rows andcolumns, and the frame buffer 33 stores digitized video imageinformation in a plurality of storage locations, which are logicallyorganized in rows and columns that conform to the rows and columns ofthe television receivers' pixels. In addition, as is conventional,images are displayed on television receivers on a video frame-by-videoframe basis, and the frame buffer 33 stores the digitized video imageinformation in a video frame-by-video frame basis. In one embodiment, inwhich the rows of consecutive pairs of frames are interleaved, the framebuffer 33 includes separate sets of storage locations for two frames,and, while digitized video image information is retrieved for one framefrom one set of storage locations, digitized video image information forthe other frame can be stored in the other set of storage locations.

[0020] As noted above, the video image information from the local videolink 25 is to be substituted for some or all of the video imageinformation received over the cable link 22. The graphics blendingcircuit 34 receives the video image information from the local videolink 25, and, if the video image information is in analog form, convertsit to digital form. In addition, the graphics blending circuit 34 blendsthe digitized video image information that it generates with thedigitized video image information provided by the frame grabber 32, andprovides a BL DIG FR IN blending digitized frame input signal therefor.Generally, the graphics blending circuit 34 will be enabling digitizedvideo image information that it generates to be stored in storagelocations that are associated with the respective pixels in regions ofthe television receivers' video display screen in which the video imageinformation is to be displayed. Accordingly if the video imageinformation from the local video link 25 is to be displayed on theentire video display screen, the digitized video image information fromthe graphics blending circuit 34 will substitute for all of thedigitized video information from the frame grabber 32, for each frame.On the other hand, if the video image information from the local videolink is to be displayed in only a predetermined region of the videodisplay screen, such as in a window in a “picture in a picture” format,the graphics blending circuit 34 will enable digitized video imageinformation therefrom to be stored in storage locations associated withthat region. If the video image information received over the localvideo link 25 would normally provide a video image that is larger orsmaller than the predetermined region, the graphics blending circuit 34will provide a scaling operation to so that the digitized video imageinformation will conform to the window. It will be appreciated thatinformation as to the location and size of the window, and, accordingly,the storage locations in the frame buffer 33 in which digitized videoinformation from the graphics blending circuit is to be store, can beprovided to the graphics blending circuit 34 by the processor 40.

[0021] As noted above, video image information that is stored in theframe buffer 33 is in digital form. The digital video programinformation will, on a video frame-by-video frame basis, be retrievedfrom the frame buffer 33, converted to analog form, and the analog videoimage information will be used to modulate a carrier wave. The carrierwave that is to be modulated will be of the frequency that is associatedwith the video image signal for the channel to which the tuner 31 istuned, and the modulated carrier wave will be substituted for the videoportion of the channel to which the tuner 31 is tuned, in the signalsthat are provided by the server 12 to the television receivers connectedthereto. These operations are performed by the encoder 35, modulator 36,notch filter 37 and combiner 38.

[0022] More specifically, the processor 40 enables digitized video imageinformation to be retrieved from the frame buffer 33 on a videoframe-by-video frame basis and provided to the encoder 35. The framebuffer 33 provides the digitized video image information to the encoderas a DIG BL FR OUT digitized blended frame out signal. As noted above,the frame buffer stores digitized video image information in two sets ofstorage locations and, while digitized video image information for oneframe is being loaded into the set of storage locations associated withone frame, the digitized video image information can be retrieved fromthe frame buffer from the set of storage locations associated with theother frame. After encoder 35 receives the digitized video imageinformation, it will convert the digitized video program information toanalog signal form, which it provides to the modulator 36 as an AN BL FROUT analog blended frame out signal.

[0023] The modulator 36 will modulate the analog video image informationonto a carrier wave to create a video signal that is to be substitutedfor the video signal for the channel to which the tuner 31 is tuned, inthe cable signal that is to be provided to the television receivesconnected to the server 12. The modulator 36 will generate a carrierwave of the frequency that corresponds to the frequency of the carrierwave of the channel to which the tuner 31 is tuned, and use the analogvideo image signal provided by the encoder 35 to modulate the carrierwave. The modulator 36 provides the modulated carrier wave to thecombiner 38 as a MOD FR modulated frame signal.

[0024] The notch filter 37 receives the signal from the cable 22 anddeletes, or notches out, at least the signal that carries the videoimage portion of the channel to which tuner 31 is tuned, and providesthe signals associated with the remaining channels to the combiner 38 asa NOTCHED CABLE signal. Accordingly, if channel “n” is the channel forwhich video image information is to be substituted, which, as notedabove, corresponds to the channel to which tuner 31 is tuned, the notchfilter 37 will couple the signals from the cable link 22 for the videoimage and audio information for channels 1 through n−1 and n+1 through Nto the signal combiner 38. In addition, the notch filter may couple thesignal for the audio information for the channel “n” for which thesubstitute video image information is to be provided to the signalcombiner 38. As noted above, the notch filter will not couple the signalfor the video information for the channel “n” for which the substitutevideo information is to be provided to the signal combiner 38.

[0025] The signal combiner 38 receives the signals from the notch filter37 and the modulator 36 and combines them to provide a COMP VIDEOcomposite video signal for transmission over the internal cable link 27to the television receivers. It will be appreciated that, since thesignal provided by the modulator 36 is associated with the same channelas that of the signal that was removed by the notch filter 37, thecomposite video signal provided by the signal combiner 38 comprisesvideo image signals for all of the channels 1 through “n−1” and “n+1”through “N” as provided by the cable provider, as well as thesubstituted video image signal for channel “n” from the modulator 36. Inaddition, the composite video signal provided by the combiner 38includes the audio signals for the respective channels as provided bythe notch filter 37. Accordingly, if the notch filter 37 provides theaudio signals for channels 1 through N to the signal combiner 38, thesignal combiner 38 will provide audio signals for those channels 1through N in the COMP VIDEO composite video signal. On the other hand,if the notch filter 37 provides audio signals for channels 1 through“n−1” and “n+1” through “N” as provided by the cable provider to thesignal combiner 38, the signal combiner will provide audio signals forthose channels 1 through “n−1” and “n+1” through N in the COMP VIDEOcomposite video signal. In that case, if the signal combiner 38 is alsoprovided with an audio signal for channel “n” from another source (notshown) it can also include that audio signal in the COMP VIDEO compositevideo signal.

[0026] The invention provides a number of advantages. In particular, thevideo program information providing arrangement 30 whereby video programinformation provided by, for example, a local video source over localvideo link 25, can be integrated with video program information providedby a cable provider over cable link 22, and distributed to thetelevision receivers over a unitary set of channels over an internalcable link 27. This will allow television receivers (not separatelyshown) that are connected to the internal cable link 27 to receive and,if tuned to the channel over which the video program informationprovided by the local video source is transmitted, display the videoprogram information provided by the local video source, thereby avoidingany necessity of having a separate or special display arrangement forviewing the video program information provided by the local videosource.

[0027] It will be appreciated that numerous modifications may be made tothe video program information providing arrangement 30 described herein.For example, if it is desired to provide video program information froma plurality of local video sources, a plurality of arrangements 30 maybe cascaded together to facilitate notching out of video image signalsassociated with successive ones of channels n₁, n₂, . . . and substitutetherefor video program information from successive ones of local videolinks 25 ₁, 25 ₂, . . . .

[0028] In addition, although the video program information provided overcable link 22 has been described as being provided by a cable provider,it will be appreciated that the video program information may, insteador in addition, be provided by, for example, a satellite provider or oneor more over-the-air broadcasters. In addition, although the videoprogram information has been described as being provided by a videosource that is local to the home associated with the server 12, it willbe appreciated that the video program information may instead beprovided by other video program sources, including, for example, abroadcast source, a source that provides video program information overglobal networks such as the Internet, or any other source, as will beappreciated by those skilled in the art.

[0029] Furthermore, as noted above, the video program informationproviding arrangement 30 may either substitute video image informationthat it receives over the local video link 25 for all of the video imageinformation for a channel “n” that it receives over the cable link 22,or, alternatively, it may substitute the video image information that itreceives over the local video link 25 for some portion, in a window in a“picture-in-picture” arrangement, with the size and location of thewindow being determined by the processor 40. If it is desired to justhave the video program information providing arrangement 30 substitutethe video image information that it receives over local video link 25for all of the video image information for channel “n,” and not providethe option of substituting for only a portion of the video imageinformation for the channel “n,” the arrangement 30 need not provide atuner 31 and frame grabber 32.

[0030] It will be appreciated that a system in accordance with theinvention can be constructed in whole or in part from special purposehardware or a general purpose computer system, or any combinationthereof, any portion of which may be controlled by a suitable program.Any program may in whole or in part comprise part of or be stored on thesystem in a conventional manner, or it may in whole or in part beprovided in to the system over a network or other mechanism fortransferring information in a conventional manner. In addition, it willbe appreciated that the system may be operated and/or otherwisecontrolled by means of information provided by an operator usingoperator input elements (not shown) which may be connected directly tothe system or which may transfer the information to the system over anetwork or other mechanism for transferring information in aconventional manner.

[0031] The foregoing description has been limited to a specificembodiment of this invention. It will be apparent, however, that variousvariations and modifications may be made to the invention, with theattainment of some or all of the advantages of the invention. It is theobject of the appended claims to cover these and such other variationsand modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:
 1. A system for providing video programminginformation from a plurality of sources over a unitary set of channelscomprising: A. a notch filter configured to receive the receive videoprogramming information from a first source over said unitary set ofchannels and provide notched video programming information comprisingthe received set of channels, except a selected channel; B. a videoprogram information receiver configured to receive other videoprogramming information from a second source; C. a modulator configuredto modulate the other video programming information onto a channelcorresponding to said selected channel, thereby to provide modulatedother programming information; and D. a composite video generatorconfigured to combine the notched video programming information from thenotch filter and the modulated other programming information generatedby the modulator thereby to provide composite video programminginformation over said unitary set of channels for provision to atelevision receiver.
 2. A system as defined in claim 1 furthercomprising: A. a tuner configured to receive video programminginformation from the first source over the unitary set of channels andprovide an output comprising video programming information from saidselected channel; and B. a channel combiner configured to combine thevideo programming information from said selected channel as provided bythe tuner and the other video programming information from the secondsource as received by the video program information receiver thereby toprovide a combined video programing information for the selectedchannel, the modulator being configured to use the combined videoprogramming information for the selected channel in generating saidmodulated other programing information.
 3. A system as defined in claim2 in which said channel combiner comprises: A a frame buffer configuredto store at least one frame of video programming information; B. a framegrabber configured to receive the video programming information fromsaid selected channel as provided by the tuner and store at least oneframe in said frame buffer; C. a blender configured to receive the videoprograming information from the second source and store at least aportion of at least one frame in said frame buffer, thereby to provideat least one combined frame; and D. a frame retriever configured toretrieve said at least one combined frame from said frame buffer forprovision to said modulator as the combined video programminginformation.
 4. A system as defined in claim 3 in which: A. the framebuffer stores said at least one frame of video programming informationin digital form; B. the frame grabber is configured to convert the videoprogramming information from said selected channel as provided by thetuner to digital form for storage in said frame buffer; C. the blenderis configured to convert the video programming information from thesecond source to digital form for storage in said frame buffer; and D.said frame retriever is configured to convert the said at least onecombined frame as retrieved from said frame buffer from digital form toanalog form for provision to said modulator as the combined videoprogramming information.
 5. A method of providing video programminginformation from a plurality of sources over a unitary set of channelscomprising: A. a notch filter step in which video programminginformation is received from a first source over said unitary set ofchannels and notched video programming information comprising thereceived set of channels, except a selected channel is provided; B. avideo program information receiving step in which other videoprogramming information is received from a second source; C. amodulation step in which the other video programming information ismodulated onto a channel corresponding to said selected channel, therebyto provide modulated other programming information; and D. a compositevideo generation step in which the notched video programming informationgenerated during the notch filter step and the modulated otherprogramming information generated during the modulation step isgenerated thereby to provide composite video programming informationover said unitary set of channels for provision to a televisionreceiver.
 6. A method as defined in claim 5 further comprising: A. atuning step in which video programming information is received from thefirst source over the unitary set of channels and an output comprisingvideo programming information from said selected channel is provided;and B. a channel combining step in which the video programminginformation from said selected channel as provided during the tuningstep and the other video programming information from the second sourceas received during the video program information receiving step arecombined to provide a combined video programing information for theselected channel, the combined video programming information for theselected channel being used during the modulation step in generatingsaid modulated other programing information.
 7. A method as defined inclaim 6 in which said channel combining step comprises: A. a framegrabbing step in which at least one frame of the video programminginformation from said selected channel as provided during the tuningstep is stored in a frame buffer; B. a blending step in which at least aportion of at least one frame of the video programing informationreceived from the second source is stored in said frame buffer, therebyto provide at least one combined frame; and C. a frame retrieval step inwhich said at least one combined frame from said frame buffer isretrieved for provision to said modulator as the combined videoprogramming information.
 8. A method as defined in claim 7 in which: A.the frame grabbing step includes the step of converting videoprogramming information from said selected channel as provided by thetuner to digital form for storage in said frame buffer; B. the blendingstep includes the step of converting the video programming informationfrom the second source to digital form for storage in said frame buffer;and C. the frame retrieval step includes the step of converting said atleast one combined frame as retrieved from said frame buffer fromdigital form to analog form for use as the combined video programminginformation during the modulation step.
 9. A computer program productfor use in connection with a programmable device to provide a system forproviding video programming information from a plurality of sources overa unitary set of channels, the computer program product comprising adevice readable medium having encoded thereon: A. a notch filter moduleconfigured to enable said programmable device to receive the receivevideo programming information from a first source over said unitary setof channels and provide notched video programming information comprisingthe received set of channels, except a selected channel; B. a videoprogram information receiver module configured to enable saidprogrammable device to receive other video programming information froma second source; C. a modulator module configured to enable saidprogrammable device to modulate the other video programming informationonto a channel corresponding to said selected channel, thereby toprovide modulated other programming information; and D. a compositevideo generator module configured to enable said programmable device tocombine the notched video programming information from the notch filterand the modulated other programming information generated by themodulator thereby to provide composite video programming informationover said unitary set of channels for provision to a televisionreceiver.
 10. A computer program product as defined in claim 9 furthercomprising: A. a tuner module configured to enable said programmabledevice to receive video programming information from the first sourceover the unitary set of channels and provide an output comprising videoprogramming information from said selected channel; and B. a channelcombiner module configured to enable said programmable device to combinethe video programming information from said selected channel as providedby the tuner and the other video programming information from the secondsource as received by the video program information receiver thereby toprovide a combined video programing information for the selectedchannel, the modulator being configured to enable said programmabledevice to use the combined video programming information for theselected channel in generating said modulated other programinginformation.
 11. A computer program product as defined in claim 10 inwhich said channel combiner module comprises: A a frame grabber moduleconfigured to enable said programmable device to receive the videoprogramming information from said selected channel as provided by thetuner and store at least one frame in a frame buffer; B. a blendermodule configured to enable said programmable device to receive thevideo programing information from the second source and store at least aportion of at least one frame in said frame buffer, thereby to provideat least one combined frame; and C. a frame retriever module configuredto enable said programmable device to retrieve said at least onecombined frame from said frame buffer for provision to said modulator asthe combined video programming information.
 12. A computer programproduct as defined in claim 11 in which: A. the frame grabber module isconfigured to enable said programmable device to convert the videoprogramming information from said selected channel as provided by thetuner to digital form for storage in said frame buffer; B. the blendermodule is configured to enable said programmable device to convert thevideo programming information from the second source to digital form forstorage in said frame buffer; and C. said frame retriever module isconfigured to enable said programmable device to convert the said atleast one combined frame as retrieved from said frame buffer fromdigital form to analog form for provision to said modulator as thecombined video programming information.